My tried and true method of embracing your natural color
Helping people return to their natural color has become one of my specialties. It reminds me of the old chicken or the egg conundrum…did the specialty encourage me to embrace my natural color or did embracing my natural color encourage my specialty…the world will never know. What I do know for certain is if you have reached that stage of life that you’re releasing obligations and simplifying…keep reading
Step 1. Making the decision to go natural
This is not a decision to be taken lightly. One of the reasons we cover our grays is to disguise our “maturity” in other words “to avoid looking older.” It’s important to know what you are prioritizing. For me, my time and energy became far more important than appearing youthful. There is no right or wrong answer. What is your priority?
Step 2. What are your options
When it comes to how to get to the end goal there are 3 options, each with their own pros and cons.
Having a skilled stylist transition you
Pro: You are able to get to the end goal fairly quickly
Con: It can be costly
Cutting off all the colored hair
Pro: A cost effective way to getting to the end goal immediately
Con: You will have to cut off all of your hair which may not be flattering for you face shape or supportive of your hair texture.
Let the color grow out naturally
Pro: No work or cost is involved
Con: This can take years and can be very awkward
Which of these works best for you…again, there is no right or wrong answer.
Step 3. Book a style analysis with your stylist
Talk to your stylist about the option you have chosen. Let him/her give you ideas and visuals of what the process will look like. Every head of hair is different as is every grow out process. There is truly and infinite number of possibilities…you and your beauty professional can take time to create the right road map for you
Step 4: The stylist transition route
My route of transitioning may not be every stylists way…stylists are artists, each with their own unique set of skills, techniques, and talents. The information I am giving you is MY WAY…again…there is no right or wrong. My way is to highlight the hair, lifting all the warmth out of the hair. Mature hair does not have the warm tones it once did. To get the natural hair color and the previously colored hair to blend…warmth must be removed. The only way to do this is to lift aka lighten the hair. We then finish with a glaze that deposits a very cool tone that blends with your natural. Plan on 2-3 visits, each one getting closer to the end result.
Step 5. Get a killer haircut
Most people look great with their natural color provided that have a killer haircut to go with it. This does not mean short…it doesn’t necessarily mean long either…it means whatever haircut best compliments you and your personality.
Please keep in mind, once you make this decision does not mean you’re stuck with it…you can go back ANYTIME YOU WANT! Also, embracing your natural color can also mean you are doing little things to enhance it. You can still get subtle highlights to brighten things up if you want…at the end of the day…there is no right or wrong…there is only what works best for you and what best fits with the vision that has been placed in your heart.
